Collaborative digital story system

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods for generating digital shared story compositions may include (1) receiving, from a user&#39;s computing device, (i) a first user input initiating the creation of a shared story configured to include a collection of individual story compositions from different contributors and (ii) a second user input selecting one or more users as contributors to the shared story, (2) creating the shared story, and (3) adding, to the shared story, a digital story composition created by a contributor selected via the second user input. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/154,695, titled “COLLABORATIVE DIGITAL STORY SYSTEM,” filed Oct. 8,2018, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated byreference.

BACKGROUND

Current social media applications allow users all over the world toshare their thoughts and ideas on various topics. Some social mediaapplications allow users to create ephemeral story posts, which areaccessible to other users for a limited time before disappearing fromview. The ephemeral nature of the story paradigm builds excitement, bylimiting a consumption experience to only current posts. This may allowa digital experience (e.g., consuming a story post relating to an eventor a current thought process) to mimic a real-world experience (e.g.,participating in the event or the current thought process). However,current story paradigms center around single-author compositions, makingit difficult to digitally mimic the group nature inherent in many oflife's real-world experiences. The instant disclosure thereforeidentifies a need for systems and methods for creating, managing,posting, and storing multi-author story compositions.

SUMMARY

As will be described in greater detail below, the instant disclosuredescribes various systems and methods for creating, maintaining, andpresenting digital shared stories. In one example, acomputer-implemented method may include (1) receiving, via an instanceof social media application running on a user's computing device, (i) afirst user input initiating the creation of a shared story configured toinclude individual story compositions from a group of differentcontributors and (ii) a second user input selecting one or more membersof a social media platform associated with the social media applicationas contributors to the shared story, (2) creating the shared story withthe selected members as contributors, and (3) adding, to the sharedstory, a digital story composition created by an additional user who wasselected as a contributor via the second user input.

In one embodiment, the method may further include (1) providing, via adisplay element of the user's computing device, a composition screenthat may be used to create a social media composition and (2)presenting, within the composition screen, a selectable element that maybe selected to create a shared story. In this embodiment, the first userinput may represent a selection of the selectable element.

In one example, the method may include, in response to receiving thefirst user input, (1) presenting, via a display element of the user'scomputing device, an inaugural landing screen for creating new sharedstories, and (2) receiving the second user input via the inaugurallanding screen. In this example, the inaugural landing screen mayinclude various spaces with selectable elements (e.g., a profile picturespace that allows the user to select a profile picture for the sharedstory, a contributor space that allows the user to select one or moremembers of the social media platform as contributors, a privacy spacethat allows the user to select a privacy setting, and a story startspace that allows the user to initiate the shared story) and the methodmay receive the second user input via the inaugural landing screen byreceiving the second user input via the contributor space.

In one example, the profile picture space may include a default profilepicture and may allow the user to accept the default profile picture orselect a new profile picture. In this embodiment, the default picturemay represent (1) a collage of contributor pictures comprising a pictureof each contributor and/or (2) an image most recently captured by acapture screen on the user's computing device prior to receiving thefirst user input.

In one embodiment, the method may further include using facialrecognition to identify one or more users included in an image capturedby a capture screen on the user's computing device prior to receivingthe first user input. In this embodiment, the contributor space mayprovide a default list of contributors (e.g., a list of the usersidentified in the image).

In some examples, the privacy space may further include a binary privacybutton that allows the user to toggle between two privacy settings: (1)a setting to limit access to the shared story to only contributors whohave been invited to the shared story and (2) a setting to limit accessto the shared story to the contributors who have been invited to theshared story and to friends of contributors who have been invited to theshared story.

In one embodiment, the method may further include presenting acontributor landing screen to the additional user via an additionalinstance of the social media application running on the additionaluser's computing device. In this embodiment, the method may furtherinclude (1) in response to receiving the second user input, transmittinga digital invitation to the additional instance of the social mediaapplication inviting the additional user to participate as a contributorto the shared story and (2) receiving, via the additional user'scomputing device, user input accepting the digital invitation.Additionally, the method may present the contributor landing screen bypresenting the contributor landing screen in response to receiving theuser input accepting the digital invitation.

In some examples, the contributor landing screen may include a group ofselectable elements. These selectable elements may include, withoutlimitation, (1) a privacy element that, when selected, allows theadditional user to hide the shared story from his or her friends on thesocial media platform, (2) a settings element that, when selected,allows the additional user to edit one or more settings of the sharedstory, and/or (3) an exit element that, when selected, allows theadditional user to initiate being removed as a contributor to the sharedstory.

In one example, the computer-implemented method may further includemaintaining the shared story as a live story until a predeterminedamount of time has passed without a new digital story composition beingadded by any of the shared story's contributors. In one embodiment,creating the shared story may include creating a shared story containerto which digital story compositions created by the contributors may beadded. Additionally or alternatively, creating the shared story mayinclude publishing one or more digital story compositions of the sharedstory via a stories channel of the social media platform.

In some examples, the method may add the additional user's digital storycomposition to the shared story by (1) presenting, via a display elementof the additional user's computing device, a composition screenconfigured for creating digital story compositions, (2) receivingdigital content submitted by the additional user via the compositionscreen and creating the digital story composition based on the digitalcontent, (3) additionally receiving a user selection to add the digitalstory composition to the shared story, and (4) adding the additionaluser's digital story composition to the shared story in response toreceiving the user selection.

In one embodiment, a system for implementing the above-described methodmay include (1) a receiving module, stored in memory, that receives, viaan instance of a social media application running on a user's computingdevice, (i) a first user input initiating the creation of a shared storyconfigured to include individual story compositions from multipledifferent contributors and (ii) a second user input selecting one ormore members of a social media platform associated with the social mediaapplication as contributors to the shared story. The system may alsoinclude (2) a creation module, stored in memory, that creates the sharedstory with the selected members as contributors, and adds, to the sharedstory, a digital story composition reaction by an additional user whowas selected as a contributor via the second user input. The system mayalso include (3) a physical processor configured to execute thereceiving module and the creation module.

In some examples, the above-described method may be encoded ascomputer-readable instructions on a non-transitory computer-readablemedium. For example, a computer-readable medium may include one or morecomputer-executable instructions that, when executed by at least oneprocessor of a computing device, may cause the computing device to (1)receive, via an instance of a social media application running on auser's computing device, (i) a first user input initiating the creationof a shared story configured to include individual story compositionsfrom a plurality of different contributors and (ii) a second user inputselecting one or more members of a social media platform associated withthe social media application as contributors to the shared story, (2)create the shared story with the selected members as contributors, and(3) add, to the shared story, a digital composition created by anadditional user who was selected as a contributor via the second userinput.

Features from any of the above-mentioned embodiments may be used incombination with one another in accordance with the general principlesdescribed herein. These and other embodiments, features, and advantageswill be more fully understood upon reading the following detaileddescription in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings illustrate a number of exemplary embodimentsand are a part of the specification. Together with the followingdescription, these drawings demonstrate and explain various principlesof the instant disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a flow diagram of an exemplary method for creating a sharedstory.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an exemplary shared story system.

FIG. 3 is an illustration of an exemplary composition screen 300 with anexemplary element that trigger the creation of a shared story.

FIG. 4 is an illustration of an exemplary capture screen with anexemplary element that triggers the creation of a shared story.

FIGS. 5A-5B are an illustration of an additional exemplary inaugurallanding screen for creating a shared story that toggles between twodifferent privacy settings.

FIG. 6 is an illustration of an exemplary contributor selection screendisplayed as part of a shared story creation process.

FIG. 7 is an illustration of an exemplary shared story with posts from avariety of different contributors.

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram of an exemplary method for adding a digitalstory composition to a shared story.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of an exemplary system used to add a digitalstory composition to a shared story.

FIG. 10 is an illustration of an additional exemplary compositionscreen.

FIG. 11 is an illustration of an exemplary predecessor screen thatnavigates to an exemplary composition screen.

FIG. 12 is an illustration of an exemplary share screen for adding adigital story composition to a shared story.

FIG. 13 is an illustration of an exemplary notification screen fornotifying a user that he or she has been added as a contributor to ashared story.

FIG. 14 is an exemplary contributor landing screen presented to acontributor of a shared story.

Throughout the drawings, identical reference characters and descriptionsindicate similar, but not necessarily identical, elements. While theexemplary embodiments described herein are susceptible to variousmodifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have beenshown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detailherein. However, the exemplary embodiments described herein are notintended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, theinstant disclosure covers all modifications, equivalents, andalternatives falling within the scope of the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

The present disclosure is generally directed to a collaborative digitalstory system that allows multiple contributors to contribute to anevolving shared story. The shared story may include a compilation ofindividual stories created by each of the contributors and may beephemeral in nature, staying live as long as the authors are activelyadding to the shared story.

In some examples, a shared story may be initiated using the samecomposition screen utilized to create a solo-author story. For example,a composition screen may include, within a cluster of push-buttons, acontributor-button that allows a producer to add contributors. Whenselected, the contributor-button may navigate to a shared story landingscreen that allows the producer to create an identity for the sharedstory (e.g., by selecting contributors, a privacy setting, a title,and/or a profile picture). This process may change the story beingcreated by the producer from a solo-author story to a shared story.

In some examples, a composition screen may take the form of a capturescreen. In these examples, the capture screen may include differentcamera modes including a hangout mode. When a user selects the hangoutmode prior to taking a picture, the capture screen may automaticallynavigate to the shared story landing screen after the picture is taken.In these examples, the shared story landing screen may automatically (1)select the picture taken via the capture screen as a profile picture,(2) use facial recognition to identify one or more users in the picture,and (3) select the identified users as contributors.

After being added as a contributor, a contributor may be presented witha contributor landing screen that allows the contributor to initiateseveral actions. For example, the contributor landing screen may allowthe contributor to hide the shared stories from his or her contacts,edit the shared story settings, and/or leave the shared story.

The shared story may be posted to a stories consumption channel (i.e.,become “live”) once the first individual story (e.g., the producer'soriginal story) is added to the shared story. Then, the shared story maycontinue to update with additional individual stories as they are added.In some examples, the shared story may remain live as long as additionalstories continue to be added. For example, the shared story may remainlive until the last added story becomes older than 24 hours. In oneexample, all the individual stories added by the contributors may beadded to an archive as they expire, which may be accessed by each of thecontributors but inaccessible to non-contributors.

As will be explained in greater detail below, embodiments of the instantdisclosure may provide an easier means of sharing group content andinteracting with that group content. In traditional social mediaapplications, stories are created using a single-author paradigm, inwhich stories are organized by user (e.g., where stories by a same userare grouped together and designated by the user's name). However, thetraditional single-author paradigm does not provide a structure toorganize ephemeral content based on a group, event, and/or idea, makingit nearly impossible to digitally mimic the group nature inherent inmany of life's real-world experiences.

The embodiments herein, by contrast, enable a group of users to create ashared story that includes a collection of stories with content that isrelevant to the group (e.g., stories relating to a family vacation).Thus, a user interested in accessing content that is relevant to thegroup, may access all of the content (e.g., all stories relating to thefamily vacation) in one logical space, instead of attempting to accesssuch content spread out across multiple different logical spaces (e.g.,spread out across the logical spaces of multiple users). This mayimprove the functioning of a computer itself by improving the computer'sability to meaningfully organize data. This may also improve thefunctioning of a computer itself by reducing the number of actions thatmust be received by the computer from a user attempting to accessgroup-relevant data.

The following will provide, with reference to FIG. 1, detaileddescriptions of computer-implemented methods for digitally creatingshared stories. Detailed descriptions of corresponding example systemswill also be provided in connection with FIG. 2. In addition, detaileddescriptions of a corresponding creation flow will be provided inconnection with FIGS. 3-7. Then, the following will provide, withreference to FIG. 8, detailed descriptions of computer-implementedmethods for adding a digital story composition to a shared story.Detailed descriptions of corresponding example systems will also beprovided in connection with FIG. 9. In addition, detailed descriptionsof corresponding creation flow will be provided in connection with FIGS.10-14. Thus, FIGS. 1-7 relate to methods and systems utilized by aproducer of the shared story (i.e., who initiates the creation of theshared story) and FIGS. 8-14 relate to methods and systems utilized bycontributors to the shared story (e.g., users invited to contribute tothe shared story by the producer).

FIG. 1 is a flow diagram of an exemplary computer-implemented method 100for creating shared stories and adding contributor compositions to theshared story. The steps shown in FIG. 1 may be performed by any suitablecomputer-executable code and/or computing system, such as the systemsdescribed herein. In one embodiment, the steps shown in FIG. 1 may beperformed by modules operating within a mobile device. For example, thesteps shown in FIG. 1 may be performed by modules operating in a userdevice 202 as shown in exemplary system 200 in FIG. 2.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, at step 110, one or more of the systemsdescribed herein may receive, via an instance of a social mediaapplication running on a user's computing device, a first user inputinitiating the creation of a shared story configured to include acollection of individual story compositions from multiple differentcontributors. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 2, a receiving module204 may receive, via social media application 206 running on user device202, a first user input 208 from a producer 210 that initiates thecreation of a shared story.

User device 202 generally represents any type or form of computingdevice capable of reading computer-executable instructions. For example,user device 202 may represent a user device such as a smart phone and/ora tablet. Additional examples of user device 202 may include, withoutlimitation, laptops, desktops with mobile elements, wearable devices,personal digital assistants (PDAs), etc. In some examples, a user ofuser device 202 (i.e., producer 210) may have a user account with asocial-networking platform and may have an instance of a social mediaapplication managed by the social-networking platform and associatedwith the user's account installed on user device 202 (i.e., social mediaapplication 206).

The term “social media application” as used herein refers to any type orform of computer program managed by a social media platform that isinstalled and executed on a user device to cause the user device toperform useful tasks. In some examples, the social media application mayinclude both a composition functionality and a consumptionfunctionality. The composition functionality may be used to createdigital social media compositions to share with other users of thesocial media platform (e.g., digital newsfeed compositions and/ordigital story compositions). The consumption functionality may be usedto view user compositions created by other users (e.g., via a newsfeedconsumption channel and/or stories consumption channel presented via oneor more graphical user interfaces of the social media application).

As used herein, the term “stories consumption channel” generally refersto any type or form of social media consumption channel that presents acontinuous series of story compositions to a composition-consumer, oneby one. In one example, the stories consumption channel may transitionfrom presenting one story composition to the next automatically, withoutrequiring any user input to do so. In some examples, a story compositionmay only be viewable for a predetermined amount of time. For example, astory composition may be set to disappear after twenty-four hours. Inaddition to presenting story compositions created by a solo-author, thestories consumption channel may be configured to present shared storiescreated by a group of authors, as will be discussed in greater detailbelow.

The term “story composition” as used herein generally refers to any typeor form of social media composition intended for a stories consumptionchannel. The story composition may include a variety of content (e.g., adigital photograph, a digital video, a gif, text, a link, etc.). In someexamples, a story composition may include multiple posts, each of whichincludes different content. In one such example, the story compositionmay include a text-based cover card that is displayed for apredetermined amount of time followed by each post, one by one, each ofwhich may be displayed for a subsequent predetermined amount of time.

The term “shared story” as used herein generally refers to a collectionof individual stories created by multiple different contributors thatare stored in the same stories container and posted as a group (e.g.,one after the other in a series) in a stories consumption channel. Insome examples, a shared story may be organized around an event (e.g., afamily vacation, a field trip, a campaign rally, etc.). In additional oralternative examples, a shared story may be organized around a theme(e.g., karaoke compositions of BOLLYWOOD songs). In some examples, therights to contribute to a shared story may be limited to a group ofusers invited to contribute to the shared story (e.g., by a producer ofthe shared story). Additionally, the rights to view a shared story maybe limited based on a privacy setting selected by the producer and/or acontributor to the shared story. To give a specific example, the sharedstory may only be displayed in the stories consumption channels of thecontributors. Alternatively, the share story may only be displayed inthe stories consumption channels of the contributors and in the storiesconsumption channels of the contributors' friends.

Receiving module 204 may receive first user input 208 in a variety ofcontexts. In some examples, first user input 208 may be submitted to acomposition screen 212, presented to producer 210 via a display element214 of user device 202 as part of a story creation process.

The term “composition screen” as used herein generally refers to anytype or form of user interface presented via a social media applicationthat facilitates the creation of a social media composition. In someexamples, the composition screen may be configured to receiveuser-generated text and/or digital media (e.g., a digital photograph, adigital video, and/or a graphic) submitted via user input for inclusionin a social media composition. Additionally, the composition screen mayallow a user to manipulate text and/or media. For example, thecomposition screen may allow a font, background, and/or text size to bemanipulated for text submitted to the composition screen. As anotherexample, the composition screen may be configured to receive a selectionand/or placement of metadata items pertaining to the composition (e.g.,a digital location sticker, a digital feelings sticker, a digital paintsubmission, a media filter, etc.). In one embodiment, a storycomposition being composed via composition screen 212 may form the basisof the shared story initiated by first user input 208 (e.g., by becomingan initial story in the shared story and/or a profile picture for theshared story).

FIG. 3 provides a specific example of a composition screen (i.e.,composition screen 300) from which first user input 208 may be received.As shown in FIG. 3, composition screen 300 may include a group of pushbuttons configured to perform various tasks related to creating a socialmedia composition (e.g., a text button 302 for adding text to thecomposition, a metadata button 304 for adding metadata items in the formof digital stickers to the composition, a paint button 306 for digitallydrawing on the composition, a crop button 308 for cropping digital mediaitems that form the basis of the composition, a tag button 310 fortagging friends in the composition, a location button 312 for addinglocation information to the composition, a camera roll button 314 foradding additional digital media items from a camera roll of user device202 to the composition, a save button 316 for saving the composition,and a creation button 318 for adding the composition to an individualstory channel of producer 210).

Composition screen 300 as depicted in FIG. 3 represents one of a seriesof screens presented during the composition process (i.e., as part of acreation flow). As part of this creation flow, producer 210 may haveselected the image displayed via composition screen 300 from a previousscreen (e.g., a composition landing screen similar to the contributorcomposition screen described in greater detail below in connection withFIG. 10). Additionally, one or more subsequent screens may be presentedto add additional content to a composition (e.g. in response to aselection of camera roll button 314) or to add text or digital metadatastickers to the composition (e.g., in response to a selection of textbutton 302 and/or metadata button 304).

In some examples, as illustrated in FIG. 3, composition screen 300 mayinclude a contributor button 322 that may be used to add contributors tothe composition being created via composition screen 300, triggering thecreation of a shared story. In this example, first user input 208 mayrepresent a selection of contributor button 322.

Returning to FIG. 2, in another example, composition screen 212 mayrepresent a capture screen from which first user input 208 is received.The term “capture screen” as used herein generally refers to any type orform of composition screen with a capture element that allows a user totake a digital photo and/or digital video with a digital camera embeddedwithin a user device displaying the capture screen (e.g., by selecting acapture push button within the capture screen).

FIG. 4 provides a specific example of a capture screen (i.e., capturescreen 400) from which first user input 208 may be received. As shown inFIG. 4, capture screen 400 may include a variety of push buttonsassociated with different modes for recording a digital video or digitalimage (e.g., a normal video mode, a boomerang video mode in which adigital video loop is created, a slow-motion mode, etc.). These pushbuttons may include a push button (e.g., hangout button 402 in FIG. 4)associated with the group mode. By selecting the group mode push button(i.e., hangout button 402), the user may initiate a shared story thatuses the photograph and/or video being taken by the capture screen asthe basis of the shared story. In some examples (e.g., the exampleillustrated in FIG. 4), hangout button 402 may represent a capturebutton that both initiates a camera embedded in user device 202 tocapture an event and causes the event to be captured in the hangoutmode.

In some examples, a creation flow may include first presenting a capturescreen, such as capture screen 400 illustrated in FIG. 4, and thenpresenting a composition screen, such as the composition screenillustrated in FIG. 3, that includes an image captured using the capturescreen. In this example, a producer may have two opportunities to submituser input initiating the creation of the shared story (i.e., byselecting a push button such as hangout button 402 in FIG. 4 or byselecting a push button such as contributor button 322 in FIG. 3).

Returning to FIG. 1, at step 120, one or more of the systems describedherein may receive, via the instance of the social media applicationrunning on the user's computing device, a second user input selectingone or more members of a social media platform associated with thesocial media application as contributors to the shared story. Forexample, as illustrated in FIG. 2, receiving module 204 may receive, viasocial media application 206, a second user input 216 from producer 210selecting contributors 220, 222, and 224.

Receiving module 204 may receive second user input 216 in a variety ofcontexts. In some examples, an inaugural landing screen 218 for creatingnew shared stories may be presented via display element 214 by a displaymodule of social media application 206 (e.g., in response to receivingmodule 204 receiving first user input 208). In these examples, receivingmodule 204 may receive second user input 216 from inaugural landingscreen 218.

Inaugural landing screen 218 may be configured with a variety of spacesthat include selectable elements for creating a shared story, asillustrated in FIG. 5A. FIG. 5A includes an exemplary embodiment of aninaugural landing screen (i.e., inaugural landing screen 500) withmultiple spaces: (1) a profile picture space 502, (2) a story name space504, (3) a contributor space 506, (4) a privacy space 508, and (5) astory start space 510. A functionality and/or configuration of each ofthese spaces will be discussed, in turn.

First, profile picture space 502 may allow producer 210 to select aprofile picture for the shared story being created via inaugural landingscreen 218. In one example, profile picture space 502 may display adefault profile picture (such as default profile picture 512). In thisexample, profile picture space 502 may allow producer 210 to accept thedefault profile picture or to select a new profile picture (e.g., from aphoto database maintained by user device 202). In some examples, thedefault profile picture may include a collage of the profile pictures ofone or more of the contributors to the shared story, as shown in FIG.5A. In another example, the default profile picture may represent animage most recently captured by a capture screen on user device 202(e.g., prior to receiving module 204 receiving first user input 208).For example, the default profile picture may represent an image capturedby capture screen 400 displayed in FIG. 4 or composition screen 300displayed in FIG. 3.

Second, story name space 504 may include a text box through whichproducer 210 may input a name for the shared story. For example, asillustrated in FIG. 5B, producer 210 may input the name “Tokyo Times!”In some examples, story name space 504 may display a default namepredicted (using a prediction module) based on context available to userdevice 202. For example, the prediction module may predict the namebased on a current location indicated by a location sensor within userdevice 202. In this example, the default name may include the name of acountry, city, restaurant, etc. As another example, the predictionmodule may predict the name based on an entry in a digital calendarmaintained by social media application 206 and/or user device 202. Inthis example, the default name may include the name of an eventidentified in the digital calendar.

Third, contributor space 506 may allow producer 210 to select one ormore members of the social media platform associated with social mediaapplication 206 as contributors to the shared story. In some examples,the disclosed systems and methods may (using a prediction module)predict a list of users that producer 210 may wish to add ascontributors to the shared story and may automatically display thepredicted list of users in contributor space 506. In these examples,contributor space 506 may be configured to allow producer 210 to acceptand/or modify the automatically/predictively selected contributors. Inone embodiment, an additional contributor screen (e.g., such ascontributor screen 600 displayed in FIG. 6) may be displayed in responseto producer 210 selecting contributor space 506.

The prediction module may predict the list of users in a variety ofways. In some examples, the prediction module may have identified theusers in a digital photograph and/or video using facial recognition. Forexample, in examples in which first user input 208 was received from acapture screen (such as capture screen 400 in FIG. 4), the predictionmodule may have identified the users within a digital photograph beingtaken via the capture screen and may have automatically populatedcontributor space 506 with the identified users.

Fourth, privacy space 508 may allow producer 210 to select a privacysetting for the shared story. In some examples, privacy space 508 mayinclude a binary privacy button 514 that allows producer 210 to togglebetween two privacy settings. For example, as illustrated in FIGS. 5Aand 5B, privacy space 508 may allow producer 210 to toggle between anopen setting 516 (selected by default in FIG. 5A), in which contributorsand friends of each of the contributors are permitted to view the sharedstory, and a closed setting 518 (selected by producer 210 in FIG. 5B),in which only contributors are permitted to view the shared story.

Finally, story start space 510 may include a start button 520 configuredto initiate the creation of the shared story when selected via userinput. Start button 520 may initiate the creation of the shared story byinviting the selected users to be contributors and/or by making theshared story live.

Returning to FIG. 1, at step 130, one or more of the systems describedherein may create the shared story with the selected members ascontributors. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 2, a creation module226 may create a shared story 228 with contributors 220, 222, and 224 ascontributors.

Creation module 226 may create shared story 228 in response to a varietyof triggers. In some examples, creation module 226 may create sharedstory 228 in response to receiving module 204 receiving a user input toinaugural landing screen 218. Using the inaugural landing screendepicted in FIG. 5 as a specific example, creation module 226 may createshared story 228 in response to receiving module 204 receiving userinput selecting start button 520. In other examples, creation module 226may create shared story 228 in response to receiving first user input208 or second user input 216 (e.g., without first presenting inaugurallanding screen to producer 210).

Creation module 226 may create shared story 228 in a variety of ways. Insome examples, creation module 226 may create shared story 228 bycreating a shared story container to which digital story compositionscreated by contributors 220, 222, and 224 may be added. Additionally oralternatively, creation module 226 may create shared story 228 bypublishing shared story 228 via a stories consumption channel (e.g., bypublishing a base story composition 230 created by producer 210 as partof a shared story creation process to which subsequently createdcompositions by the producer and/or contributors may be added).

The audience to which shared story 228 is published may depend on aprivacy setting (e.g., selected from inaugural landing screen 218). Forexample, if producer 210 selected a private privacy setting to onlyshare shared story 228 with contributors to the shared story, sharedstory 228 may only be published to stories consumption channels of thecontributors. Alternatively, if producer 210 selected a public privacysetting to share shared story 228 with both contributors and friends ofthe contributors, shared story 228 may be published to the storiesconsumption channels of the contributors and to the stories consumptionchannels of the contributors' friends.

Returning to FIG. 1, at step 140 or more of the systems described hereinmay add, to the shared story, a digital story composition created by anadditional user who was selected as a contributor via the second userinput. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 2, creation module 226 mayadd story compositions 232-236 (created by contributors 220-224) toshared story 228.

Creation module 226 may add story compositions 232-236 to shared story228 in a variety of ways. In some examples, creation module 226 may addstory compositions 232-236 to a shared story container created forshared story 228. Additionally or alternatively, creation module 226 maypublish story compositions 232-236 as part of shared story 228 via astories channel. In these examples, each published story composition mayinclude a caption that includes the name of the shared story and theauthor of the particular story. Additionally, the published storycompositions may be displayed in stories consumption channels as aseries, one after the other.

For example, FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of shared story228 being presented to the consumption channel of a user via a userdevice 700. As shown in FIG. 7, base story composition 230 may bedisplayed first, followed by story composition 232 created bycontributor 220, followed by story composition 234 created bycontributor 222, followed by story composition 236 created bycontributor 224.

Prior to adding the contributors' story compositions to shared story228, the disclosed systems and methods may facilitate the creation ofthe contributors' story compositions and may receive the storycompositions from the contributors. A process for facilitating thecreation of the contributors' story compositions and receiving the storycompositions from the contributors is described in connection with FIGS.8-14.

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram of an exemplary computer-implemented method 800for generating a contributor story composition. The steps shown in FIG.8 may be performed by any suitable computer-executable code and/orcomputing system, such as the systems described herein. In oneembodiment, the steps shown in FIG. 8 may be performed by modulesoperating within a computing device. For example, the steps shown inFIG. 8 may be performed by modules operating in a user device 902 ofcontributor 220 (e.g., as part of an additional instance of the socialmedia application described above) as shown in exemplary system 900 inFIG. 9.

As illustrated in FIG. 8, at step 810, one or more of the systemsdescribed herein may present, via a display element of an additionaluser's computing device, a composition screen configured for creatingdigital story compositions. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 9, adisplay module 904 may present, via a display element 906 of user device902, a composition screen 908.

Composition screen 908 generally represents any type or form ofcomputer-mediated user interface presented via a display element (e.g.,by a social media application running on a computing device) that allowsa user to create social media compositions. For example, compositionscreen 908 may allow a user to create a digital story composition to beshared on a stories consumption channel of a social media platform.

Composition screen 212 may include a variety of functional elements. Forexample, FIG. 10 depicts an exemplary embodiment of composition screen908 with various digital spaces: a text space 1000, which enables theuser to input text (e.g., via a text box), a media space 1002, whichenables the user to select and/or upload media items, and a metadataspace 1004, which displays one or more selectable metadata items (e.g.,digital stickers displaying time, location, friends, and/or feelingsinformation) that may be added to a composition. In some examples, asshown in FIG. 10, composition screen 908 may be configured to receivemultiple types of input (text input, media input, and metadata input).In other examples, a composition process may include receiving inputfrom a series of different screens. For example, composition screen 908may represent a dedicated media screen that receives media input andnavigates to additional composition screen for receiving text, metadata,and/or other input.

Display module 904 may present composition screen 908 in response to avariety of triggers. In some examples, display module 904 mayautomatically present composition screen 908 as an initial welcomescreen presented in response to a determination that the user has openeda social media application. In other examples, a non-composition screen,such as a newsfeed screen, may be configured as the initial welcomescreen, or a user may wish to transition from a non-composition screen,such as a newsfeed screen or a messenger screen, to a compositionscreen. In these examples, a predecessor screen may include a text box(e.g., with a prompt such as “What's on your mind?”) and compositionscreen 908 may be retrieved when the text box is selected. Additionallyor alternatively, the predecessor screen may include a composition iconwhich, when selected, triggers the retrieval of composition screen 908.For example, FIG. 11 is an illustration of an exemplary predecessorscreen 1100 (a newsfeed screen in this example) with a composition icon1102 that depicts a glyph of a plus sign, conveying that the user mayadd a composition to his or her profile by selecting the compositionicon.

Returning to FIG. 8, at step 820, one or more of the systems describedherein may receive digital content submitted by the additional user viathe composition screen and may create a digital story composition basedon the content. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 9, a compositionmodule 910 may receive digital content submitted by contributor 220 viacomposition screen 908 and may create story composition 232 (e.g., asdepicted in FIG. 7) based on the content.

In some examples, as depicted by the story compositions (e.g., 232) inFIG. 7, a digital story composition may include a digital image.Additionally, as depicted by base story composition 230 in FIG. 7, adigital story composition may include one or more digital stickers(e.g., a digital text sticker and the digital location sticker asdisplayed in FIG. 7). In other examples, a digital story composition mayrepresent a text composition. In some such examples, the digital storycomposition may include a white backdrop with plain text. In other suchexamples, the digital story composition may represent a Super AwesomeText Post (SATP) in which the backdrop is a color and/or image and thetext may also be stylized. In other examples, the digital storycomposition may represent a graphic.

Returning to FIG. 8, at step 830, one or more of the systems describedherein may additionally receive a user selection to add the digitalstory composition to the shared story. For example, as illustrated inFIG. 9, composition module 910 may receive a user selection of a sharebutton 914 displayed in a share screen 912.

In some examples, share screen 912 may represent the final compositionscreen in a series of composition screens. For example, compositionscreen 908 may navigate to share screen 912 in response to contributor220 selecting a push button indicating that the user is ready to publishthe digital composition created using composition screen 908 (e.g., a“next” push button, a “share” push button, etc.). FIG. 12 illustrates anexemplary embodiment of share screen 912 in which share screen 912represents a final composition screen. As shown in FIG. 12, the finalcomposition screen may allow contributor 220 to post his or her digitalcomposition to his or her own personal story or to a shared story. Inthis example, share button 914 may represent a selection of shared story228 as a channel for publication.

In other examples, a predecessor screen, displayed prior to compositionscreen 908, may include selectable elements for designating a storieschannel for which a user would like to create a digital composition. Inthese examples, contributor 220 may select an element within thepredecessor screen indicating that he or she wishes to create a digitalcomposition to add to shared story 228, prior to composing the digitalstory composition. In this example, composition screen 908 may include apublish push button that automatically publishes digital storycomposition to shared story 228 (e.g., without providing options topublish to other story channels). In one embodiment, such a predecessorscreen may represent a screen displayed within shared story 228 as theshared story 228 is being consumed. For example, contributor 220 may beviewing shared story 228 via his or her stories consumption channel andmay select a push button included within shared story 228 invitingcontributor 220 to add to shared story 228.

Finally, at step 840 in FIG. 8, one or more of the systems describedherein may add the additional user's digital story composition to theshared story in response to receiving the user selection. For example,composition module 910 may add story composition 232 to shared story 228in response to contributor 220 selecting share button 914.

In some examples, contributor 220 (along with each of the othercontributors) may have been presented with a contributor landing screenafter having been invited to join shared story 228 as a contributor. Inone embodiment, the contributor landing screen may be presented inresponse to contributor 220 digitally accepting an invitation to beadded as a contributor to shared story 228. In another embodiment, thecontributor landing screen may be presented in response to contributor220 selecting a notification informing contributor 220 of having beenadded as a contributor to shared story 228. For example, FIG. 13 is anexemplary embodiment of a notification screen 1300 with a notification1302 of having been invited to contribute to a shared story. In thisexample, a contributor landing screen may be presented to contributor220 in response to receiving user input selecting notification 1302.

The contributor landing screen may include a variety of elements, asillustrated in FIG. 14. FIG. 14 depicts a contributor landing screen1400 with various elements: a privacy element 1402, a settings element1404, and an exit element 1406. Each of these elements will bedescribed, in turn.

First, privacy element 1402 may allow contributor 222 to modify thepermission settings selected by producer 210. For example, inembodiments in which producer 210 selected a public setting for sharedstory 228 (i.e., to share shared story 228 with contributors and withfriends of the contributors), privacy element 1402 may, when selected,hide the shared story 228 from the friends of contributor 222. Next,settings element 1404 may allow contributor 222 to edit one or moreadditional settings of shared story 228 selected by contributor 222(e.g., a time frame for which shared story 228 will remain live).Finally, exit element 1406 may, when selected, remove contributor 220 asa contributor to shared story 228.

Once shared story 228 has been published (i.e., becomes “live” in theconsumption channels of users with permission to view shared story 228),shared story 228 may remain live for a designated amount of time. In oneembodiment, shared story 228 may remain live until a predeterminedamount of time (e.g., 24 hours) has passed without a new digital storycomposition being added by any of the contributors to shared story 228.After the predetermined amount of time passes without any new digitalstory compositions being added, shared story 228 may be removed from thestories consumption channels of users who had permission to view sharedstory 228. In one embodiment, shared story 228 may be archived and maycontinue to be accessible to the contributors of shared story 228 (e.g.,producer 210 and contributors 220-224).

As described throughout the instant disclosure, the disclosed systemsand methods may provide a social networking platform in which a producermay invite other users to participate in a shared story. The sharedstory may include a collection of individual story compositions createdby individual contributors. The individual story compositions may beadded to the shared story as they are created. After a designated amountof time (e.g., 24 hours) has passed without a new composition beingadded to the shared story, the shared story may expire and be removedfrom the consumption channels of users with permission to view theshared story. Once the shared story expires, the shared story maycontinue to be maintained in an archive which may only be accessible tothe shared story's contributors.

As detailed above, the computing devices and systems described and/orillustrated herein broadly represent any type or form of computingdevice or system capable of executing computer-readable instructions,such as those contained within the modules described herein. In theirmost basic configuration, these computing device(s) may each include atleast one memory device and at least one physical processor.

The term “memory device,” as used herein, generally represents any typeor form of volatile or non-volatile storage device or medium capable ofstoring data and/or computer-readable instructions. In one example, amemory device may store, load, and/or maintain one or more of themodules described herein. Examples of memory devices include, withoutlimitation, Random Access Memory (RAM), Read Only Memory (ROM), flashmemory, Hard Disk Drives (HDDs), Solid-State Drives (SSDs), optical diskdrives, caches, variations or combinations of one or more of the same,or any other suitable storage memory.

In addition, the term “physical processor,” as used herein, generallyrefers to any type or form of hardware-implemented processing unitcapable of interpreting and/or executing computer-readable instructions.In one example, a physical processor may access and/or modify one ormore modules stored in the above-described memory device. Examples ofphysical processors include, without limitation, microprocessors,microcontrollers, Central Processing Units (CPUs), Field-ProgrammableGate Arrays (FPGAs) that implement softcore processors,Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), portions of one ormore of the same, variations or combinations of one or more of the same,or any other suitable physical processor.

Although illustrated as separate elements, the modules described and/orillustrated herein may represent portions of a single module orapplication. In addition, in certain embodiments one or more of thesemodules may represent one or more software applications or programsthat, when executed by a computing device, may cause the computingdevice to perform one or more tasks. For example, one or more of themodules described and/or illustrated herein may represent modules storedand configured to run on one or more of the computing devices or systemsdescribed and/or illustrated herein. One or more of these modules mayalso represent all or portions of one or more special-purpose computersconfigured to perform one or more tasks.

In addition, one or more of the modules described herein may transformdata, physical devices, and/or representations of physical devices fromone form to another. For example, one or more of the modules recitedherein may receive user input and transform the user input into adigital social media composition. Additionally or alternatively, one ormore of the modules recited herein may transform a processor, volatilememory, non-volatile memory, and/or any other portion of a physicalcomputing device from one form to another by executing on the computingdevice, storing data on the computing device, and/or otherwiseinteracting with the computing device.

The term “computer-readable medium,” as used herein, generally refers toany form of device, carrier, or medium capable of storing or carryingcomputer-readable instructions. Examples of computer-readable mediainclude, without limitation, transmission-type media, such as carrierwaves, and non-transitory-type media, such as magnetic-storage media(e.g., hard disk drives, tape drives, and floppy disks), optical-storagemedia (e.g., Compact Disks (CDs), Digital Video Disks (DVDs), andBLU-RAY disks), electronic-storage media (e.g., solid-state drives andflash media), and other distribution systems.

The process parameters and sequence of the steps described and/orillustrated herein are given by way of example only and can be varied asdesired. For example, while the steps illustrated and/or describedherein may be shown or discussed in a particular order, these steps donot necessarily need to be performed in the order illustrated ordiscussed. The various exemplary methods described and/or illustratedherein may also omit one or more of the steps described or illustratedherein or include additional steps in addition to those disclosed.

The preceding description has been provided to enable others skilled inthe art to best utilize various aspects of the exemplary embodimentsdisclosed herein. This exemplary description is not intended to beexhaustive or to be limited to any precise form disclosed. Manymodifications and variations are possible without departing from thespirit and scope of the instant disclosure. The embodiments disclosedherein should be considered in all respects illustrative and notrestrictive. Reference should be made to the appended claims and theirequivalents in determining the scope of the instant disclosure.

Unless otherwise noted, the terms “connected to” and “coupled to” (andtheir derivatives), as used in the specification and claims, are to beconstrued as permitting both direct and indirect (i.e., via otherelements or components) connection. In addition, the terms “a” or “an,”as used in the specification and claims, are to be construed as meaning“at least one of.” Finally, for ease of use, the terms “including” and“having” (and their derivatives), as used in the specification andclaims, are interchangeable with and have the same meaning as the word“comprising.”

The invention claimed is:
 1. A computer-implemented method comprising: receiving, from a user's computing device: a first user input initiating the creation of a shared story configured to include individual story compositions from a plurality of different contributors; and a second user input selecting one or more users as contributors to the shared story; creating the shared story; adding, to the shared story, a digital story composition created by a contributor selected via the second user input; and maintaining the shared story as a live story until a predetermined amount of time has passed without a new digital story composition being added by any of the shared story's contributors.
 2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: providing, via a display element of the user's computing device, a composition screen that may be used to create a social media composition; and presenting, within the composition screen, a selectable element that may be selected to create a shared story, wherein the first user input comprises a selection of the selectable element.
 3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising, in response to receiving the first user input: presenting, via a display element of the user's computing device, an inaugural landing screen for creating new shared stories; and receiving the second user input via the inaugural landing screen.
 4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein: the inaugural landing screen comprises a plurality of spaces with selectable elements, including at least one of: a profile picture space that allows the user to select a profile picture for the shared story; a contributor space that allows the user to select one or more contributors to the shared story; a privacy space that allows the user to select a privacy setting; and a story start space that allows the user to initiate the shared story; and receiving the second user input via the inaugural landing screen comprises receiving the second user input via the contributor space.
 5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the profile picture space comprises a default profile picture and allows the user to accept the default profile picture or select a new profile picture.
 6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the default profile picture comprises at least one of: a collage of contributor pictures comprising a picture of each contributor; or an image most recently captured by a capture screen on the user's computing device prior to receiving the first user input.
 7. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the privacy space comprises a binary privacy button that allows the user to toggle between two privacy settings consisting of: a setting to limit access to the shared story to only contributors who have been invited to the shared story; and a setting to limit access to the shared story to the contributors who have been invited to the shared story and to friends of the contributors who have been invited to the shared story.
 8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein: receiving the first and second inputs comprises receiving the first and second inputs via an instance of a social media application running on the user's computing device; and the users selected as contributors to the shared story comprise members of a social media platform associated with the social media application.
 9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising presenting a contributor landing screen to the selected contributor on the selected contributor's computing device.
 10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, further comprising: in response to receiving the second user input, transmitting a digital invitation to the selected contributor's computing device inviting the selected contributor to participate as a contributor to the shared story; and receiving, via the selected contributor's computing device, user input accepting the digital invitation, wherein presenting the contributor landing screen comprises presenting the contributor landing screen in response to receiving the user input accepting the digital invitation.
 11. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein the contributor landing screen comprises a plurality of selectable elements, including at least one of: a settings element that, when selected, allows the selected contributor to edit one or more settings of the shared story; and an exit element that, when selected, allows the selected contributor to initiate being removed as a contributor to the shared story.
 12. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein the contributor landing screen comprises a privacy element that, when selected, allows the selected contributor to hide the shared story from his or her friends on a social media platform.
 13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein creating the shared story comprises at least one of: creating a shared story container to which digital story compositions created by the contributors may be added; or publishing one or more digital story compositions of the shared story via a stories channel of a social media platform.
 14. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein adding the selected contributor to the shared story comprises: presenting, via a display element of the selected contributor's computing device, a composition screen configured for creating digital story compositions; receiving digital content submitted by the selected contributor via the composition screen and creating the digital story composition based on the digital content; additionally receiving a user selection to add the digital story composition to the shared story; and adding the selected contributor's digital story composition to the shared story in response to receiving the user selection.
 15. A system comprising: a receiving module, stored in memory, that receives, from a user's computing device: a first user input initiating the creation of a shared story configured to include individual story compositions from a plurality of different contributors; and a second user input selecting one or more users as contributors to the shared story; a creation module, stored in memory, that: creates the shared story; adds, to the shared story, a digital story composition created by a contributor selected via the second user input; and maintains the shared story as a live story until a predetermined amount of time has passed without a new digital story composition being added by any of the shared story's contributors; and at least one physical processor configured to execute the receiving module and the creation module.
 16. The system of claim 15, wherein the creation module further: provides, via a display element of the user's computing device, a composition screen that may be used to create a social media composition; and presents, within the composition screen, a selectable element that may be selected to create a shared story, wherein the first user input comprises a selection of the selectable element.
 17. The system of claim 15, wherein: in response to the receiving module receiving the first user input, the creation module presents, via a display element of the user's computing device, an inaugural landing screen for creating new shared stories; and the receiving module receives the second user input via the inaugural landing screen.
 18. The system of claim 17, wherein: the inaugural landing screen comprises a plurality of spaces with selectable elements, including at least one of: a profile picture space that allows the user to select a profile picture for the shared story; a contributor space that allows the user to select contributors for the shared story; a privacy space that allows the user to select a privacy setting; and a story start space that allows the user to initiate the shared story; and the receiving module receives the second user input via the inaugural landing screen by receiving the second user input via the contributor space.
 19. The system of claim 15, wherein the creation module further presents a contributor landing screen to the selected contributor on the selected contributor's computing device.
 20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising one or more computer-readable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a computing device, cause the computing device to: receive, from a user's computing device: a first user input initiating the creation of a shared story configured to include individual story compositions from a plurality of different contributors; and a second user input selecting one or more users as contributors to the shared story; create the shared story; add, to the shared story, a digital story composition created by a contributor selected via the second user input; and maintain the shared story as a live story until a predetermined amount of time has passed without a new digital story composition being added by any of the shared story's contributors. 